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Coach Allen Talks Mandatory Mini-Camp

Head Coach Dennis Allen spoke to the media after Day 1 of the Raiders Mandatory Mini-Camp.

Coach Allen: Guys that didn’t work today – [Josh] Cribbs, Isaiah Williams, [Jon] Hoese, [Latavius] Murray, [Nick] Kasa, [Miles] Burris, Johnny Jones, Stacy McGee, Coye Francies and DJ Hayden and Taiwan Jones. Those guys didn’t practice today with various injuries. Today’s practice really, at the end of the day, what we got to continue to work on is the consistency. I thought at times we executed well. We made some plays both offensively and defensively, but the consistency with which we have to execute on a day-in and day-out basis we have to continue to work on. But the good thing is, is guys are out there, they’re competing; they’re working. They’re doing everything that we’re asking them to do to continue to get better. We have a long time before we have to open up and play a game that counts for real. Overall, I was pleased, but we still have a lot of getting better to do.

Q: The quarterbacks, the issues they had out there across the board, was that more on them or was it the looks they were getting?

Coach Allen: Well, I think obviously it’s a combination. I think, like I said, it’s the consistency thing with the quarterbacks and the receivers, tight ends, getting in sync. Understanding how to adjust to different route combinations based on the coverage that they’re getting. And then, obviously, I think we’re throwing some different looks at them too. All those things will help us when it comes time to open up the season.

Coach Allen: It’s something we knew coming in when we signed him that he was probably going to be unavailable for the off-season program. Our thought process on Josh is having him ready to go to open up training camp and I think we’re on track there.

Q: Coach, how many jobs on defense are available? Obviously, you say it’s an open competition, but [Tyvon] Branch and [Charles] Woodson you’d think are your safeties, but other than that?

Coach Allen: Listen, at the end of the day, they’re all available. I think we’ve got some ideas, a starting position, of where we’re at. But, we’re going to let the competition dictate who plays. I think it’s been great for our team, both sides of the ball as well as in the kicking game. The more you can create that type of competition, the better you’re going to be when you start playing games.

Q: You said it’s a long time until the season starts; how frustrated do you allow yourself to get on days where there seems like a lot is not progressing the way you’d like?

Coach Allen: I don’t allow that to frustrate me. I understand where we’re at in the season. I understand that we’ve got a lot of new pieces, a lot of new guys working together. I don’t concern myself with that. I know we’ve got a lot of work to do, but the way our guys are working, we’re going to get to where we need to be.

Q: With a third offensive coordinator in three years and a pretty young wide receiving corps, how much adjusting have those guys had to do going from one system to another and now to a third?

Coach Allen: It’s an adjustment. There’s no question about it and that’s why you want to be able to create as much consistency as you can. It’s an adjustment, but we’re pro football players. We’ve got to be able to learn on the run and learn fast and we’ve got to continue to show progress.

Q: What does Lamarr Houston need to do in terms of pass rush to be more productive and get to the quarterback? What did you see from last year that you liked?

Coach Allen: I think if you really study what Lamarr Houston’s been able to do, he’s been able to get some pressure on the quarterback. Now that may not have landed in big sack numbers, but I’m extremely pleased with where Lamarr Houston is. I’m pleased with him as a football player. I’m pleased with him as a leader on this football team and trying to bring other guys along with him. So I’ve got no qualms with where Lamarr Houston is and he’ll be effective rushing the quarterback this year.

Q: Does he have the skills to be one of those guys that get high numbers of sacks?

Coach Allen: Yeah, again, pass rush and pass coverage work together. We have to make him hold the ball a little bit; give him some opportunities to work a second move to be able to get to the quarterback. Lamarr’s probably not the guy that’s going to be the flashy guy off the edge, but he understands how to rush. He’s got power when he rushes and he’s got a little bit of slipperiness to him to beat blocks and get to the quarterback. And again, he had some hits on quarterbacks last year and had some pressure. It didn’t result in a lot of high sack numbers, but if he continues to work and continues to get to the quarterback, those sacks will come.

Q: Where do you see Burris’ progress? He maybe started a little too early last year out of necessity. Do you see him right now as one of your starters?

Coach Allen: The unfortunate thing is he hasn’t been able to work during the off-season program so I can’t answer where he’s at right now. Whenever he’s healthy and he’s able to get out there and compete, then he’ll define where he is on the depth chart. That’s the thing about the competition. I’m not making any decisions right now. We don’t have to make any decisions right now. I’ll let the competition dictate that and may the best man win.

Q: Is Sio Moore giving you pretty much everything you’d hoped when you brought him in?

Coach Allen: Sio has done a nice job. Again, he’s still got a lot of rookie mistakes. He’s still got a lot of learning to do, but I like the potential there. I like the upside there and I like some of the versatility he brings.

Q: It seems like Vance Walker made a couple nice plays out there, getting his hands up and batting the ball down. What have you seen from him so far?

Coach Allen: Vance has done a nice job. I think really, when you look at it, Vance is going to be a solid run player. Our hope is that he continues to improve in the passing game and that’s one of the emphasis that we’ve placed this year on being able to understand how to rush together and we need to bat some balls down. When you cease to be a pass rusher and you’re being blocked, you have to become a pass defender, get your hands up and knock the ball down. And that’s the same as being a defensive back and knocking it down.

Q: What’s been your impression of [Matt] McGloin so far?

Coach Allen: He’s got limited reps. The thing I like about him is he’s smart and he’s accurate. I think if he continues to do those things, as we get into training camp we’ll see some more reps, and really get a feel for where he’s at.